Welcome to the November 2019 Edition of Professor Owl’s Book Corner Newsletter where in addition to supporting those with special needs and learning challenges, we are also committed to being focused on YA/New Adult reading and literacy. We will be featuring tips from a certified literacy tutor to help make your reading experience the best it can be.
We will also be encouraging young writers and artists with tips, writing exercises and will still be updating our Community News Boards with the latest news from Variety Village and The March of Dimes.
Professor Owl’s Book Corner hopes you enjoy this month’s edition! Please feel free to give us your feedback on our new issue, also send us any ideas you may have to help Professor Owl’s Book Corner be all that it can be. We look forward to hearing from you and to bring you a new, more interesting newsletter.
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Flanders Fields.
At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the Armistice of World War I was signed in 1918. As such, we observe two minutes of silence to remember. It’s important to remember those who fought and died and to understand it was because of those brave soldiers in that war and other since then that made this a better world for us today.
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month
Written by Sylvia McGrath
There are about 300,000 Canadians living with type “1 diabetes” (T1D) and Canada has the sixth highest rate of type “1 diabetes” in children 14 years of age or younger in the world.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body mistakenly attacks the beta cells that produce insulin, a hormone enabling the body to convert blood glucose to energy. It is the most severe form of diabetes, striking at any age.
Warning signs include
• Extreme thirst,
• Frequent urination,
• Increased appetite,
• Drowsiness or lethargy,
• Sudden vision change,
• Sudden weight loss,
• A sweet breath odour is the difference between diabetes type 1 and 2 is:
Complications of T1D may include blindness, heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, and amputation. Managing T1D is challenging and demands constant vigilance to avoid complications.
In Type 1 Diabetes, the body stops producing insulin, therefore it must be given through injections or a pump. People with type one will be dependent on insulin for life.
Type 2 Diabetes the insulin is present; however, the body develops a resistance to it and is unable to use it. This type of diabetes can sometimes be controlled by medication and diet and the regular testing of glucose: See link below.
http://www.jdrf.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=1
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Canada’s – goal is to improve the lives of everyone who is affected by TID by increasing the progress on the promising opportunities for curing, better treating and preventing this disease. To learn more about the foundation, please visit the website below:-
http://www.jdrf.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=1
They invite you to connect with them in raising awareness of T1D. See how they are fighting it, and how you can join them.
Learn 1. Discover JDRF’s efforts toward improving lives. Visit us on Facebook and
Twitter. 2. Watch for Media Stories on JDRF’s research progress.
Act 1. Get involved in World Diabetes Day activities across Canada or online. 2. Give a
JDRF give and go Prepaid Visa® card this holiday season. 3. Contact your local JDRF about mentoring or becoming an Ambassador.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqtgdFG-uB0&w=560&h=315%5D
“The Haunted High Series Book 1- The Wolf Within Me”
By Cheree Alsop (Author)
This is the First Book in an Exciting New Paranormal Series a story that is filled with great characters and paranormal creatures. The narrator does a fantastic job of bringing the story and characters to life.
When a life-threatening accident reveals to Finn that he is a werewolf; the next morning, his Father enrolled him into a secluded high school.
When he arrives there, Finn quickly realizes that the school is in fact an academy for monsters that are far more dangerous and is so full of adventure, more than he ever expected.
The Haunted High has had a perilous history with werewolves. Can Finn survive monster politics, life-threatening pranks, and teachers more likely to kill him than help him in time to answer the real question: Who is the girl haunting the cemetery and why does he sleepwalk to her grave each night.
This turned out for me to be a great read, full of adventure and a story line that was so good that once I picked up this book it was very hard for me to put it down until I finished it. I look forward to more of these stories in the series. I highly recommend this book.
This book is available from www.amazon.com, www.amazon.ca and other fine bookstores.
Writing prompts are a wonderful way to kick-start your creativity and generate ideas. There isn’t a right or wrong way respond, just be honest, be creative and use your imagination!
“It’s said that All Hallows’ Eve is one of the nights when the veil between the worlds is thin – and whether you believe in such things or not, those roaming spirits probably believe in you, or at least acknowledge your existence, considering that it used to be their own. Even the air feels different on Halloween, autumn-crisp and bright.” ~Erin Morgenstern
With Halloween around the corner, many of us partake in reading ghost and horror stories. Imagine you close the book only to find its creepy creatures, ghouls and goblins have come to life. Write about your ghoulish adventures.
Get creative, write and have fun!
Write, be creative and most of all HAVE FUN!
Writing Prompt~A picture is worth a thousand words…
Some stones are said to hold mystical powers. Write about what happens when after you pick up a random stone while on an autumn stroll and magical things begin to happen.
ATTENTION ALL YOUNG WRITERS: NANOWRIMO STARTS NOVEMBER 1ST!
Are you a young writer 17 years of age or under who has always wanted to participate in NaNoWriMo? Well, you can!!! Did you know that NaNoWriMo has a Young Writers Programme just for you.
WHAT IS NANOWRIMO?
In its 20th year, NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing Month happens every November! It’s a fun-filled, writing-fueled, seat-of-your-pants writing event where the challenge is to write an entire novel in just 30 days. Participants begin writing November 1 and must finish by midnight, November 30. The word-count goal for the adult program is 50,000 words, but the Young Writers Program (YWP) allows young writers to set reasonable individual word-count goals.
Every year approximately 100,000 young writers participate check out their website and sign up to participate…..http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/
NaNoWriMo allows an individual to silence their inner critic, as it does tend to emphasize quantity over quality. For those writers who are often intimidated by their inner critic the urgency of the contest motivates them to push through fears, the need for perfection and keep writing. With the fast pace of NaNoWriMo, adult writers need to produce approximately 1667 words per day so there is not a lot of time left for editing or worrying. Young writers can choose a goal which is achievable to you. With school, homework and afterschool activities you can set a reasonable goal for you to reach.
NaNoWriMo hosts writing events to provide participants with an active supportive community and raises money via donations as well as sales of promotional items, which it donates approximately 50% of its net intake to reading charities.
NaNoWriMo has proven to be a popular contest and does not appear to be slowing down. The first year only 21 people participated to date the number reached 798,162 participants producing approximately 367,913 novels. NaNoWriMo initially began to instigate and inspire writers to create impromptu novels, and it has become an exceptionally successful contest. In fact, many of those NaNoWriMo novels became rough drafts which eventually became published novels. Books such as Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen, The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern, Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell, Wool, by Hugh Howey, The Darwin Elevator, by Jason M. Hough and Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress by Marissa Meyer were all born out of NaNoWriMo.
PREPARING FOR NANOWRIMO
We are a mere week away to the start of this year’s NANOWRIMO and if you haven’t started making plans it’s not too late.
There is no set way on how to write a novel, everyone has their own way. You may have heard the phrase “Plotter or Pantser” which describes whether a person outlines their novel before writing it or whether they fly by the seat of their pants and go without making too many plans. There are benefits of doing it both ways and it really is all about what works for you. I, myself, am an outliner, I like having a rough map of where I’m going before I set out. I plan out my chapters and create my characters in advance of sitting down to write. While some feel this is way too stifling and can’t be quite as creative it helps give me a framework to keep the story moving forward and avoid getting stuck for ideas halfway through. If I’m struck by some paths or ideas that aren’t on my outline I still draft out the scenes and see if they’ll fit in down the road. I recommend you follow the path that feels right for you. If you are not sure where to start there are some great books out there. Two I recommend are No Plot, No Problem by Chris Baty, the founder of NANOWRIMO and Outlining Your Novel by K.M. Weiland. Both are incredibly good books that each offer a unique perspective on whether to plot or not. NaNoWriMo also has a great NaNo Prep handbook that’s free to download here.
Personally, I can’t wait until November first and I am putting the finishing touches to my story notebook, have already set up my outline on my computer and I’ve been busy creating a mood board for my new story on Pinterest and my writing soundtrack on Spotify, all to help keep me inspired and motivated while I write. If you are thinking of joining the website please feel free to add me as a buddy here! Don’t forget to log-in, buddy up and get valuable tips and encouragement on the NaNoWriMo website please feel free to add me as a buddy here!
Friday, November 1, 2019 | 6:30pm
Toronto Reference Library
COCKTAIL PARTY ENTERTAINMENT AUCTIONS & DRAWS
For more information on March of Dimes ~ Please visit http://www.marchofdimes.ca
Professor Owl's Book Corner 
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There’s a lot going on in November and Professor Owl is letting you in on some of it. Stop by and check it out.